


arachnophobia

by rosejelly



Category: The Wayhaven Chronicles (Interactive Fiction)
Genre: F/F, introducing my lil detective :), this one is just light and fluffy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:08:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25102162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosejelly/pseuds/rosejelly
Summary: The first time Ava finds out about Iris’ phobia, it almost kills her.(i.e. the answer to: which one of you kills the spider?)
Relationships: Female Detective/Ava du Mortain
Comments: 13
Kudos: 69





	arachnophobia

The first time Ava finds out about Iris’ phobia, it almost kills her. 

They’re quietly bickering on the way home, after Ava said, quote: “Things have no meaning, unless you give it one. The memorabilia you keep are cherished as long as you are alive.” 

And she _dares_ to follow it up with, “Your succulent looks just the same as a hundred others. If I hadn’t the decency to tell you I broke it, you would never notice it was different.”

Ava feels a soft thump against her bicep, followed by a muffled curse as Iris shakes her hand out, her knuckles stinging from the punch. Ava has to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from smiling. 

Iris tries her best at her meanest glare, but her full lips look more like a pout than a frown. Her soft features were more suitable for charming, not intimidation, and right now, it’s spurring Ava’s strange need to tease her, a jab ready on the tip of her tongue. 

“Can I use my taser on you?” Iris scowls, digging into the depths of her leather satchel. Ava gives a short laugh, rolling her shoulders back smugly. 

“If it makes you feel better.”  
  
“Rebecca gave me an Agency-issued one.”  
  
If Ava’s strides are a bit faster, putting a distance between them, no one mentions it. 

Their little quarrels are inevitable whenever they meet. Regardless, Ava always insists on accompanying Iris back home. 

When they reach her apartment building, Iris rummages for her keys, her head of long black curls falling over her face, the ends frizzy and split from the humidity of the rainstorm earlier. Ava takes the opportunity to look at her until her head pops up with a triumphant grin, holding her key up proudly. 

“Thanks for taking me home. I’ll see you tomorrow, Agent.” She hops up the little flight of stairs that lead to the main door, curls bouncing on her shoulders. Turning to wave at Ava, she smiles like she’s already forgotten about their squabble, before shutting the door behind her. 

Ava lets her go, trying not to be endeared by her little wave. She shoves her hands deep in her coat pockets as she watches the second storey window of the building, waiting for the kitchen light to turn on. The cold seems more assaulting to her senses now that she doesn’t have the detective to focus on. She can hear the faint sound of Iris sighing, the rustle of her coat coming off, the quiet thud of her bag dropping onto a chair. 

Satisfied, Ava turns to leave. She only manages to take two steps when a bloodcurdling scream rips through the quiet night, shrill and terrifying. Her body responds before her mind does, and she finds herself standing in Iris’ apartment, the front door splintered to pieces around her. 

Iris stumbles back from the kitchen, and the moment Ava catches sight of her, she darts forward to place herself between Iris and whatever it is that’s threatening her, broad shoulders pressing her back into the wall protectively. 

There’s nothing in the kitchen. 

Ava stares, heart thundering in her ears, wondering if there were some mysterious supernatural creature that was invisible, or if they had already fled through the kitchen window. But Iris is still whimpering, her fingers clutched tight in Ava’s shirt, her dark eyes wide and frightened. 

“What is it?” Ava pants, finally breaking. A shaking hand extends from behind Ava’s back, and points at the sink. 

“There’s a…” Her voice cracks, and Ava bristles like an angry wolf, ready to fight. “A spider.”  
  
Ava thinks she misheard, but there’s no correction, and she slowly turns to face Iris, her shoulders dropping. 

“A spider,” she repeats. 

Iris immediately releases Ava’s shirt to hug herself, lips pursed in defense.  
  
“It’s a really big one! Get rid of it for me, please please please?” She presses her palms together. “I’ll owe you one!”  
  
“You don’t owe me anything,” Ava sighs, too relieved about the absence of actual danger that she doesn’t hear the softness of her own words. She grabs the box of tissues off Iris’ kitchen counter and peers into the sink. Iris’ breath hitches, like she’s worried that the spider might leap out of the sink and eat Ava alive. Shaking her head, she looks in carefully. 

The spider _is_ big, ugly enough to make Ava blanch in disgust. She can feel Iris fidgeting nervously behind her, and she doesn’t have the heart to leave her with this tiny monster. Shoving the disgust deep down inside her, tissues at the ready, her arm darts forward to capture it and toss it out somewhere. 

The spider is a lot quicker than Ava thought. 

It jumps, _high_ , before scurrying out of the sink and across the floor, unfortunately heading for where Iris was standing. She lets out a piercing shriek, so loud it actually deafens Ava from this distance, and she reels back against the sink. When the spider panic-scurries too close to Iris, she leaps about a foot into the air and barrels straight into Ava, before trying to climb her desperately like a tree. If not for Ava’s strength, she would have bowled right over. 

Holding Iris up with one arm (who’s clinging to her and wailing like a banshee right in her ear), she eyes the spider scuttling madly about the floor. Ava makes a split second decision and crushes it quickly beneath her boot.  
  
The quiet crunch makes both of them freeze, a shudder running through them at the same time. Iris gives a pitiful, dry sob in Ava’s shoulder, and Ava gingerly pats her back, even though she feels like she deserves to be comforted too. 

She lifts her head from Ava’s shoulder, looking ruffled and teary eyed, her black curls in a disarray. Ava almost smiles at how the usually cheery and sensible detective got so worked up over a spider. 

“Thank you,” she sniffles. Ava shifts Iris on her hip, clearing her throat awkwardly. 

Before she can say anything, Iris’ eyes drift up slowly, like they’re hypnotised. Ava follows her line of sight, and they watch with dawning horror as another spider crawls quietly on the ceiling, next to the beginnings of a cobweb. It carries an egg sac, about the size of Ava’s pinky. 

Ava braces herself for the scream, but Iris is silent. She finally lowers her gaze, her eyes dull and dead. 

“Agent du Mortain.” Ava flinches at the soulless tone. “Will you fetch me the kerosene? It’s in the cupboard right by the spider.” 

Ava carries her out of the kitchen before she can commit arson.   
  


* * *

  
They’ve just finished a meeting in the detective’s office, and the unit is slowly getting up to leave. Iris trots right behind Ava, listening attentively to Nat’s theories about the latest case. 

She’s suddenly eye-level with a surprised Nat, whose wide brown eyes are staring back at her equally startled ones. She can feel Ava’s strong arm slung tight across the back of her thighs, hoisting her high above the ground. 

Now that she’s about the same height as Nat, she’s never noticed how far away things were from up here. 

“Ava?” Nat asks gently, but it makes Ava’s grip on Iris tighten, holding her flush against her chest. “Is something the matter?” 

Farah gapes at the sight, and slowly, Morgan is threatening to break into full out snickering. 

“We’re in an enclosed room,” Ava says tightly. “So if you wish to escape with your hearing, you’d better keep your lips sealed.” She directs her glare at Morgan and Farah as she speaks, and their shoulders hunch as they try to contain their laughter. 

“What?” Iris frowns, confused, trying to peel away from Ava’s body. Ava pushes her head back into her shoulder firmly, stopping her from looking. 

Realisation dawns on Iris, and she lets out a squeak of terror, her legs wrapping tight around Ava’s waist, the tip of her kitten heels digging into her back. 

“There’s a spider, isn’t there?” she hisses, clutching onto Ava’s broad shoulders. When Ava hesitates, the scent of Iris’ fear, thick and primal, makes the rest of the unit tense up immediately. Iris draws in a shuddering breath. 

“Don’t scream,” Ava blurts, her large hand cupping the back of Iris’ head, speeding through the office door quickly. Thankfully, Iris manages to swallow her whimper, head buried in Ava’s warm shoulder. 

They’re in the safety of the lobby when Iris hears Farah exclaim, “Woah, that’s a big one!” 

Iris looks like she’s going to pass out, and honestly, Ava doesn’t look that well either. She pushes against Ava’s shoulder gently, and Ava lets her slide back down to the floor, though they’re still pressed up against each other. 

Morgan comes swaggering out of the office, hands clasped behind her back. Her shit-eating grin only widens when she sees them still glued together, Iris’ fear making Ava stick close, her hand firmly placed on Iris’ back. 

“We got rid of it for you,” she croons, and Iris’ shoulders sag, looking relieved. 

“You did? Thank you, Morga-”  
  
“It’s right here.” She throws her palms open towards Iris as if she has the spider in her grasp, waiting for Ava to do some hilariously overprotective shit like lift the detective over her head.

She doesn’t expect the banshee scream to rip her in half. 

When she comes to, she’s flat on the ground, arms braced behind her. She thinks her ears are ringing, and when she can hear again, Iris is kneeling on the ground next to her, looking mortified. 

_“-gan! Morgan!”_

“What in the hell,” Morgan croaks, and Ava only shakes her head, even though Morgan notices a tiny smirk lingering on the corner of her mouth. _So she knew. Bloody hell._

“I’m so, _so_ sorry,” Iris gushes, face scarlet as Nat slings Morgan’s arm around her shoulder and helps her up. Farah is crouching on the ground, cackling so hard that her hoop earrings are jingling as they bounce against the zipper of her jacket. 

“Nothing to be sorry about,” Ava returns, her smirk growing as Morgan throws a glare in her direction. She just knows Ava is soaking in the smug glory of Morgan’s instant karma, retribution for disobeying Ava’s instructions. 

Nat sighs, shaking her head exasperatedly. “So, where is the spider now, Morgan?”  
  
“Fuck if I know,” she answers grumpily. 

There’s a quiet tinkle of a bell, and Unit Bravo turned to look at the empty space where Iris used to be, the glass door slowly drifting shut. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! :) comments and feedback are well appreciated! <3
> 
> if you like reading about iris, feel free to ask about her or shoot me some prompts on my tumblr!  
> @rosejellyy
> 
> it would be a great help as i'm trying to do some writing here and there to flesh out her character :)


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